Singapore’s first Tesla Model S owner fined $11,000 for excessive pollution

Singapore’s first Tesla Model S owner fined $11,000 

for excessive pollution

In the United States, motorists who buy a new Tesla Model S are eligible for an array of federal and local tax breaks because the all-electric sedan is considered a zero-emissions car. The story is different in Singapore, however, where the nation’s first Model S owner just found out his car is subject to heavy taxes because it’s lumped in the same category as some of the dirtiest new cars on the market.

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Joe Nguyen explains he spent seven months trying to import a Model S that he bought in Hong Kong to his home in Singapore. The government’s Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) rewards motorists who import a used eco-friendly car with a roughly $11,000 tax break, but Nguyen was slapped with an $11,000 fine based on the conclusion that the S uses too much electricity.

“I don’t get it, there are no emissions. Then they send out the results from VICOM, stating that the car was consuming 444 watt hours per kilometer. These are not specs that I have seen on Tesla’s website, or anywhere else for that matter,” explained Nguyen in an interview with Channel NewsAsia.

A spokesperson for Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the fine is fair and completely justified.

“As for all electric vehicles, a grid emission factor of 0.5 g CO2/Wh was also applied to the electric energy consumption. This is to account for CO2 emissions during the electricity generation process, even if there are no tail-pipe emissions,” wrote the spokesperson in a statement. The LTA added that it had never tested a Model S before it received Nguyen’s car.

That means that, under Singaporean regulations, the Model S falls in the same emissions category as cars with an internal combustion engine that emits between 216 and 230 grams of CO2 per kilometer. In other words, it’s about as eco-friendly a high-performance, gasoline-burning models like the Audi RS 7, the Mercedes-AMG GT S, and the Porsche Cayenne S.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he spoke to Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore, about the fine. Loong promised to investigate the situation, but a spokesperson for the prime minister’s office told The Straits Time that it’s still too early to predict whether or not the fine will be upheld.

Related Post : 2017 Mercedes AMG Coupe

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2017 Chevrolet Camero 50th Anniversary

Chevrolet says ‘Happy 50th, Camaro!’ with a surprise 

special edition

t’s a festive time in the auto industry. Jeep turned 75, BMW celebrated its 100th birthday with a head-turning concept, and Chevrolet is preparing to mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic Camaro by introducing a special-edition model appropriately called 50th Anniversary Edition.

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Available as a coupe and as a convertible, the commemorative Camaro features a nightfall gray metallic paint job accented by an orange and black stripe that runs down the hood and down the trunk lid. It also gets a new splitter up front, 20-inch alloy wheels with special center caps, and model-specific “Fifty” emblems on both front fenders. Finally, for a sharper look, the 50th Anniversary Edition comes standard with the RS package that brings a raft of features including HID headlights, LED tail lamps, and a trunk-mounted spoiler.

While pictures of the interior haven’t been published yet, the Bowtie promises that the cabin has been spruced up with black leather upholstery, orange contrast stitching on the seats and on the dashboard, as well as a sprinkling of “50th Anniversary” badges on the instrument panel, on the seatbacks, and on the steering wheel. Illuminated door sills remind the passengers that they’re not about to step in a run-of-the-mill Camaro.

Chevrolet spokesman Randy Fox told Digital Trends that 50th Anniversary Edition buyers will be able to choose whether they want four, six, or eight cylinders under the hood. All of the aforementioned engines are offered with either a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional eight-speed automatic.

Related: Chevrolet’s 1LE package is designed for Camaro owners with a need for speed

The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro 50th Anniversary Edition will be offered in two trim levels called 2LT and 2SS, respectively, when it goes on sale this summer, and Fox confirmed that production will not limited. Full details (including pricing) will likely be announced later this month during the New York show, and Chevrolet will undoubtedly organize a birthday bash when the Camaro blows out its 50th candle on September 26.

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Koenigsegg Debutes Product Regera

Are super cars a dying breed? The Geneva Motor Show 

says no

          

Not long ago, people were writing off supercars as a dying breed. Loud, stiff, and characteristically uncomfortable, these champions of speed defy most measures of practicality and logic, and with federal emissions standards and climate change anxiety ramping up, it can be easy to feel like vehicles meant to go fast are living on borrowed time.

Thankfully, that sentiment is complete nonsense.

At the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, high-octane supercars took center stage, with vehicles like the 600-horsepower Aston Martin DB11, the 770-hp Lamborghini Centenario, the 1,030-hp Techrules TREV, and the maniacal 1,500-hp Bugatti Chiron highlighting a truly star-studded event. All are amazing examples of engineering and craftsmanship to be sure, but there’s another automotive giant that demands your attention — the $2 million Koenigsegg Regera.

Initially showcased at the 2015 Geneva show as a concept, this year’s soiree included the production version of the Swedish hybrid, which has undergone more than 3,000 changes since last year. The alterations have made the vehicle much lighter and more efficient than it was before, and the sleek Swede now weighs just 3,240 pounds dry. The car utilizes an 800-volt, 4.5-kWh battery pack and four wheel-mounted electric motors alongside its twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8, resulting in a total output of 1,500 ponies. The system leans on hand-built Formula 1-grade battery cells and the highest cooling capacity of any automotive battery on the market today, which means all of the Regera’s energy goes exactly where it’s supposed to — the ground.

Flat out, the vehicle sprints to 62 mph in just 2.8 seconds and will prance all the way up to 186 mph in a mind-boggling 10.9 seconds. Not impressed yet? By Koenigsegg’s estimations, the production-spec Regera will go from a standstill to its top speed of 248 mph in only 20 seconds, or about the same amount of time it took you to read this paragraph.

The Regera is a nearly surreal object of fantasy, one that leads the fight against physics better than just about anything else on the road, but it was only one of the bedroom poster-worthy automobiles on display in Switzerland. Simply put, if you were to throw a rock in the Geneva Palexpo convention center right now (please don’t do this), you’d be bound to hit some sort of performance machine. You might land on the hardcore Porsche 911 R, or perhaps the all-electric, 402-hp E-Tense concept produced by Paris-based automaker DS. Ferrari’s new GTC4Lusso provides V12 enjoyment for up to four passengers in a unique shooting brake package, whereas the Gumpert Apollo Arrow scoffs at the Italian’s pragmatism in favor of pure, unadulterated velocity. And noise. Lots and lots of noise.

Petrol-fueled astonishment aside, there will always be those who doubt the longevity of the segment, and for good reason. But like the people who build them, performance cars can change, adapt, and (hopefully) survive in an ever-changing world, and the 2016 Geneva Motor Show was proof of that. So whether it’s an emissions-free, environmentally-conscious Tesla that can match the Regera’s acceleration or a W16-powered behemoth from Bugatti, we have good news.

The supercar is alive and well.

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Pagani's Huayra BC Supercars

Pagani’s hotter Huayra BC gains 100 horsepower, loses 330 pounds for Geneva

          

With 730 horsepower on tap via an AMG-sourced biturbo V12 and less than 3,000 pounds to motivate, the Pagani Huayra is no slouch. Still, the supercar world is an intensely competitive space, and the pressure is on the Italian firm to step up its game.

Pagani’s answer? The hardcore Huayra BC, which, as we learned at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, is one serious performance car. The BC sheds approximately 330 pounds from the already light Huayra frame, bringing its curb weight down to a paltry 2,645 lbs. To capitalize on the dramatic weight loss, Pagani injected a potent cocktail of steroids and tiger blood into the vehicle’s 12-cylinder heart, bringing total output to 789 horsepower, a noticeable increase over the standard car.

Such a dramatic power-to-weight ratio swing will undoubtedly turn the Huayra’s 0 to 60 mph sprint into a sub-3.0 second affair. If the BC can accomplish such a benchmark, it will join the ranks of the world’s elite supercars, including Porsche’s 918 Spyder, McLaren’s P1, and Ferrari’s infamous LaFerrari.

Beyond the performance gains, the Huayra BC benefits from exterior updates like a large active-adjusting rear spoiler (which generates 1,102 lbs of downforce at 155 mph), additional front air intakes, a wider rear track, new side skirts, and an imposing rear diffuser. The BC also wears unique lightweight wheels. Inside, the limited edition Huayra gains updates akin to the brand’s Zonda Cinque, meaning sportier seats and fewer frills.

As for its name, “BC” apparently stands for Benny Caiola, a well-know car collector that passed away in April of 2010. Pricing for the Huayra BC will start at around $2.8 Million and only 20 examples will be produced. To make the car even crazier, Pagani may introduce a Huayra BC Roadster sometime after the regular Huayra Roadster goes on sale next year.

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Alpha Romeo Disco Volante Spider

Touring's Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Spider is a convertible flying saucer

Four years ago at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Italian design firm Touring Superleggera melted car enthusiasts’ hearts with the Disco Volante, an updated version of one of its classic concept-car designs for Alfa Romeo.

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For the 2016 Geneva show, Touring lopped the roof off the Disco Volante. The Disco Volante Spider celebrates the company’s 90th anniversary in style. The Spider looks virtually identical to the previous Disco Volante coupe, but with a pair of removable carbon fiber roof panels that allow for some open-air motoring. They can be stowed in the trunk when not needed.

The name “Disco Volante” means “flying saucer” in Italian, and was first attached to an Alfa Romeo prototype that debuted in 1952. That car was meant to advance aerodynamics, and featured an impressive 0.25 drag coefficient. Two more copies were eventually built, along with two topless spiders.

It also looked like the alien spacecraft it was named after. “Coachbuilding,” or the re-styling of production Cars Trends, used to keep many companies like Touring in business, but the complexity of modern Cars Trends makes that job more difficult. When it debuted in 2012, the Alfa Romeo-based modern Disco Volante was praised as a return to form.

Touring did not release many technical details on the Disco Volante Spider, but like the coupe, it’s based on the discontinued Alfa Romeo 8C Competitizione. That means there’s likely a Maserati-sourced 4.7-liter V8 under the hood, with 444 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, enough for 0 to 60 mph in the 4.0-second range, and a top speed in the neighborhood of 180 mph.

Alfa only built 500 8C coupes, and 500 Spiders, so Touring had to sacrifice a very rare car to make this beauty. But the Disco Volante Spider will be even rarer. Only seven will be made, and each will be painted in a unique color. The show car’s fetching shade is called Blue Ceruleo.

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2017 Mercedes Benz C clas Cabroilet

Ahead of Geneva, Mercedes pops the top off the 2017 C-Class Cabriolet

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class family has grown a lot over the past year, but as we head for the Geneva Motor Show next month, the German automaker shows no signs of slowing.

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Ahead of the initial press day on March 1, the brand has popped the top off the 2017 C-Class Cabriolet range, which includes the C300 RWD, C300 4MATIC, and Mercedes-AMG C43. Each variant will touch down in the U.S. this year, with the C300 models arriving in late summer and the AMG following in the fall.

The first cabriolet to be based on a C-Class, the topless C300 is nearly identical to its closed-roof cousin in a mechanical sense, but its folding soft top, Airscarf neck-level heating system, and unique open-air personality set it apart. Only one engine is available until you step up to the AMG variant — a turbocharged 2.0-liter four with 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque — but its nine-speed automatic will zip you up to 60 mph in a respectable 6.3 seconds. The C300 is also available with Airmatic air suspension.

Per usual, a red-hot AMG model adorns the top of the C-Class Cabriolet family. The droptop C43 wears a variety of sporty styling elements that tease its upgraded performance, the most notable of which are the AMG-specific wheels, chrome trim, and unique badging.

Like the C43 Coupe, the convertible equips a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that churns out 362 hp and peak torque of 384 pound-feet, which will push the vehicle to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. That’s just 0.1 seconds slower than the hardtop, by the way. The vehicle’s driving dynamics are tailorable as well, as the AMG Dynamic Select menu can tune suspension stiffness, engine response, steering weight, and transmission shift points to the driver’s liking. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.

Related: Mercedes’ C43 Coupe breaks cover with an AMG badge and a biturbo heart

“The AMG product portfolio will continue to grow rapidly this year, making the world of Driving Performance more diverse than ever,” said Tobias Moers, chief executive of Mercedes-AMG. “Our new product line continues to expand at a fast pace and, with the C43 Cabriolet, we are offering a younger target group yet another alternative to discover the fascinating world of AMG.”

Pricing details are TBD for the C-Class Cabriolet, so for more information, stay tuned to DT CARS Trends as we prep for Geneva.

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Bugattis Chiron is here to reclaim its throne with an army of horsepower and torque

Bugatti’s back with 1,500 horsepower in its unholy, 261 mph Chiron

In 2005, Bugatti brought a gun to a knife fight in the form of its Veyron supercar. More accurately, Bugatti introduced the world to guns when all it knew was swords and arrows. Over 1,000 horsepower, a 0-to-60 mph sprint below 3.0 seconds, and a top speed of 250 mph were the figures of fantasy.

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In the time since that supercar heard round the world, the competition have refined their weapons. Established players like Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren can match or beat Bugatti’s tired old Veyron and upstarts like Hennessey created their own world-beating monsters.

The king lost its crown.

But now the seasoned emperor is back in a new suit of armour – one that isn’t just shiny, but innovative as well. Today, Bugatti reveals its Chiron supercar, successor to the Veyron and heir to the speed throne. In the automaker’s own words, the Chiron is the world’s first production supercar to wrangle 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 pound-feet of torque.

0-to-60 mph will take less than 2.5 seconds and its new, limited, top speed will hover at 261 mph. Those who are carefully watching the top speed wars know that Hennessey’s Venom set the record at 270 mph recently, but something tells me there’s more speed to be pulled from the Chiron’s reworked quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine.

“It is part of human nature to cross boundaries and set new records – to run 100 m faster than ever before, to fly even further into space and to enter new realms. This striving is also our driving force at Bugatti,” said Wolfgang Dürheimer, President of Bugatti Automobiles. “The Chiron is the result of our efforts to make the best even better.”

Those don’t sound like the words of a brand who’s ready to rule a lesser kingdom.

   

The Chiron is built on a new carbon fibre monocoque chassis, with tires developed specifically for Bugatti and a slew of innovative technologies to make the car handle as well as it rockets to ludicrous speed.

“Our customers form an exclusive group of automobile collectors who are searching for the very best. With the Veyron, they have the best production sports car of the past 10 years,” Dürheimer continues. “This is why their demands and expectations for our next step – the Chiron – were so high.“

Only 500 examples of the Chiron will be built, each costing €2.4 million/$2.61 million USD. Pre-orders are already in process, and the first production units will be available this Fall.

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FORD’S FIESTA ST200

FORD’S FIESTA ST200 LOOKS READY FOR TAKEOFF, BUT WILL IT COME TO THE U.S.?

      

There’s no shortage of rumors about a high-performance Ford Fiesta RS, but for now Ford’s hotter Fiesta will be an upgraded version of the existing ST model.

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The Ford Fiesta ST200 debuts this week at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, but it’s unclear whether it will be sold in the U.S. when production begins later this year. As the name suggests, the ST200’s 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine develops 200 horsepower, but only when measured on the metric system.

That figure works out to 197 horsepower on the U.S. system. If you check the Ford website, you’ll notice that the U.S.-spec Fiesta ST is already listed as making 197 hp, but that’s not the whole story. That amount of power can only be achieved with a temporary overboost function, while the ST200 makes it consistently. The ST200 has its own overcast function, too, bringing output up to 212 hp.

The ST200 also produces 214 pound-feet of torque (236 lb-ft. with overboost), and everything is channeled through a six-speed manual transmission. Ford also added a shorter find-drive ratio, which it claims helps to improve acceleration. Speaking of acceleration, the ST200 will do 0 to 62 mph in 6.7 seconds (0.2 second quicker than the standard ST), and will hit a top speed of 143 mph.

To set the ST200 apart from the standard Fiesta ST, Ford gave it a special paint color called Storm Grey, that looks like it would help the car blend in on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Other visual cues include model-specific 17-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers, and an upgraded interior with Recaro front sport seats and special trim.

Production of the Ford Fiesta ST200 begins in June for the European market. Ford won’t confirm the car for the U.S., but it would make a nice sendoff for the current-generation Fiesta, which is due to be replaced soon. Unless Ford really does decide to build an RS model, it looks like the ST200 will be the hottest Fiesta around.

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Inkas Armored Range Rover Holland

What’s better than a bulletproof SUV? How about one made by a shotgun manufacturer 

Range Rovers are surprisingly versatile vehicles. The British SUV can go just about 

anywhere while offering supreme levels of comfort, and if you need to get somewhere fast, 

there are versions for that too. There are also countless custom variants out there (check 

out this one with a built-in liquor cabinet), but recently, two more challengers entered the 

fray.

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Inkas, an armored vehicle manufacturer based out of Canada, recently introduced its 

interpretation of the upscale Range Rover Autobiography. The very next day, Land Rover 

premiered the 2016 Holland & Holland Range Rover, which features unique touches from a 

British manufacturer of custom shotguns. So whether the bullets are coming into or out of 

your vehicle, there really is a Range Rover for everyone … if you have a couple hundred 

grand to spare, that is.

Let’s start with the Inkas. From the outside, there isn’t a whole lot to differentiate it from the standard mill, but this beast is far from stock. The passenger compartment, battery, and electronic control module are all lined with tough armor plating, and the suspension and door hinges are heavily reinforced. The vehicle also boasts a BR6 armor level, which means it shrugs off 7.62mm weapons fire and DM51 hand grenade explosions with ease.

If buyers need a bit more peace of mind, options like emergency lights, fire suppression systems, and heavy duty wheels are available as well. And if you need to make a break for it, the vehicle’s 510-horsepower supercharged V8 should do the trick.

While the Inkas primarily focuses on occupant safety, the Holland & Holland Range Rover is all about style. Style and guns, apparently.

The NRA-approved model is based on the Range Sover SVAutobiography, which comes from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division. Power output bumps to 550 horsepower for this green beauty, but the best part lies out back. In addition to various luxury accoutrements like engraved brightwork and polished French walnut — the same variety used to craft Holland & Holland firearm stocks — the 4×4 features a leather-trimmed gun case that deploys from the rear. Cool.

Which version do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.

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